GM rice can tough it out

A new type of genetically engineered rice has been developed that is more tolerant of drought, salt and extreme temperatures.

In a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from the United States and Korea report that they added sugar genes from a bacterium to create the improved plant. They also added a 'promoter' sequence, which only switches on genes under certain conditions.

The new crop could help farmers in developing countries to increase yields on poor land by as much as 20 per cent.